Silverleaf nightshade – Brief Overview
Silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium) is a weed that reduces production in crop and pasture enterprises throughout the Australian wheat-sheep zone. It is a long-lived perennial plant with very deep, resilient roots. It grows during spring and summer and uses valuable moisture and nutrients needed for following crops and pastures. Crop yields can be reduced by 50 to 70% by dense infestations. Spread is relatively slow but, once established, it is extremely difficult to eradicate. Established dense infestations are an ongoing annual burden on productivity and costs, and there are limited suitable effective herbicide treatments that will kill dense infestations quickly. If you wish to receive a copy of the Silverleaf nightshade manual via email, please reply to landcare@dumbleyung.wa.gov.au or a hard copy can be made available by contacting the Landcare Office on 98634225.
Crown and root weevil released to control Patterson Curse, a declared weed
Mike Clark, Senior Biosecurity Officer with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Office in Narrogin, pictured below, recently released a biocontrol for the control of Patterson Curse.
This weed has spread across a few hectares within the vicinity of Brown Reserve, South of Dumbleyung in the last few years.
Control was necessary to minimise the spread of this weed, also known as Salvation Jane into the surrounding farming paddocks.
Using the biocontrol method of collecting live weevils from an infected area or nursery and transferring them onto live plants in another location has proved to be a very successful control to reducing plant numbers.
Mike said “It may take up to five years for the weevils to breed and multiply and reduce plant density until the infestation is reduced to manageable levels. This biocontrol method has proved very successful in the York area”.
Control of declared weeds on farms within the shire is dependent on the Farmer being vigilant in recognising and then controlling declared weeds. The Shire has the responsibility to control declared weeds on the shire road reserves.
Some of the more common declared weeds found in the shire are; Stemless and Saffron Thistle, Silverleaf Nightshade and One Leaf Cape Tulip.
Other environmental weeds that are being controlled or are required to be controlled in the Shire are, African Boxthorn, Bridal Creeper and Caltrop.
If you wish to gain more information about declared weeds, please contact the Landcare Office in Dumbleyung on 9863 4225 or landcare@dumbleyung.wa.gov.au
Silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium) is a weed that reduces production in crop and pasture enterprises throughout the Australian wheat-sheep zone. It is a long-lived perennial plant with very deep, resilient roots. It grows during spring and summer and uses valuable moisture and nutrients needed for following crops and pastures. Crop yields can be reduced by 50 to 70% by dense infestations. Spread is relatively slow but, once established, it is extremely difficult to eradicate. Established dense infestations are an ongoing annual burden on productivity and costs, and there are limited suitable effective herbicide treatments that will kill dense infestations quickly. If you wish to receive a copy of the Silverleaf nightshade manual via email, please reply to landcare@dumbleyung.wa.gov.au or a hard copy can be made available by contacting the Landcare Office on 98634225.
Crown and root weevil released to control Patterson Curse, a declared weed
Mike Clark, Senior Biosecurity Officer with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Office in Narrogin, pictured below, recently released a biocontrol for the control of Patterson Curse.
This weed has spread across a few hectares within the vicinity of Brown Reserve, South of Dumbleyung in the last few years.
Control was necessary to minimise the spread of this weed, also known as Salvation Jane into the surrounding farming paddocks.
Using the biocontrol method of collecting live weevils from an infected area or nursery and transferring them onto live plants in another location has proved to be a very successful control to reducing plant numbers.
Mike said “It may take up to five years for the weevils to breed and multiply and reduce plant density until the infestation is reduced to manageable levels. This biocontrol method has proved very successful in the York area”.
Control of declared weeds on farms within the shire is dependent on the Farmer being vigilant in recognising and then controlling declared weeds. The Shire has the responsibility to control declared weeds on the shire road reserves.
Some of the more common declared weeds found in the shire are; Stemless and Saffron Thistle, Silverleaf Nightshade and One Leaf Cape Tulip.
Other environmental weeds that are being controlled or are required to be controlled in the Shire are, African Boxthorn, Bridal Creeper and Caltrop.
If you wish to gain more information about declared weeds, please contact the Landcare Office in Dumbleyung on 9863 4225 or landcare@dumbleyung.wa.gov.au
 |  Pictured left: Mike Clark releasing the weevils as a biocontrol method to control Patterson Curse Pictured above: A Stemless Thistle plant, this is a declared weed |
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